Posted by Mark Cullinane in Console, Opinion, PS3 on 01. Sep, 2010 | 0 Comments
Having received a press review unit from Sony, as well as went hands-on with a mix of titles slated for various release dates before Christmas, we have a much better idea of what the new PlayStation Move system is like, what it promises for gameplay, and indeed the quality of games we can expect from [...]
The emergence of indie games as a creative force to be reckoned with has been one of the most welcome revolutions sparked by the rise of digital distribution. This month, Danish studio Playdead’s Xbox Live Arcade title Limbo joins World of Goo and Braid as critically acclaimed low-budget, high-concept indie titles that have grabbed the [...]
Prior to E3 2010, much of the appeal of Project Natal came from its mystique. Microsoft had yet to reveal an official name, let alone its actual capabilities. However, the curtain has since been pulled back on the rebranded Kinect and what developers have been doing with the technology. There now remains but two simple [...]
I’ve been waiting for Limbo for four years, from when I was first shown the original trailer and concept art. Since then, it’s all been worryingly silent, to the point where I feared the project would never see the light of day. Imagine my surprise then, when I woke up to find that [...]
Having reinvented FIFA in its 2009 edition, and refined it well last year, the fact that David Rutter’s first utterance on FIFA 11 included that second R-word wasn’t surprising. It’s understandable that refinement is a key word, after all we’re constantly reminded of FIFA 10’s Metacritic score. It also shouldn’t surprise that EA present their [...]
Crackdown 2, like its predecessor, is an object lesson in game design. I’d normally try to maintain a little more mystery in the opening paragraph of a review, but in this case I think its best to get my feelings out in the open from the off.
The game casts you as a superpower policeman working [...]
The important information is minimal. The Skate series has two completely brilliant aspects; its control system and the sense of satisfaction it conveys. I’ll try to get across how these two work together to create an enjoyable experience. The game manages to be a more appropriate mapping of various aspects of skateboarding than any ridiculous [...]
Posted by Thomas Walters in Console, Opinion, Xbox 360 on 03. Sep, 2010 | No Comments
It emerged this week that as of November the price of an Xbox Live Gold subscription is going to be creeping up, rising by $10 a year in the States. On this side of the pond, the UK arguably comes off slightly better (surely a first in any international pricing comparison), with only the month-to-month [...]
Posted by Gerard Comerford in Console, PS3, Reviews, Xbox 360 on 03. Sep, 2010 | No Comments
With John Wayne’s death, it is finally safe to play as a character with the name ‘Pilgrim’ in it. You are Scott Pilgrim. Scott is in love with Ramona Flowers, a blue-haired girl who likes gallivanting about in her underwear; fortunately, Scott’s love is reciprocated and their relationship is at the idyllic, not the do [...]
Posted by Mark Cullinane in PS3, Reviews on 01. Sep, 2010 | 1 Comment
The first thing you notice about Start The Party! is that everything about it is LOUD. Clearly designed for children with attention deficit disorders, the bouncy visuals and in-your-face presentation never let up from the minute you slip in the disc.
Start The Party! bears all the worst hallmarks of a launch title for new hardware- [...]
Posted by Mark Cullinane in Console, PS3, Reviews on 01. Sep, 2010 | No Comments
Nintendo has a lot to answer for.
Following the axiom that every new motion controller must launch with a collection of sports-themed mini-games, Sony’s flagship PlayStation Move launch title adheres closely to the template laid out by Nintendo’s mega-selling Wii Sports series. A little too closely, as it happens, because although this workmanlike package undoubtedly achieves [...]
Posted by Mark Cullinane in Reviews, Wii on 28. Aug, 2010 | 2 Comments
And Yet It Moves, Broken Rules’ belated Wii conversion of the PC original, is another in the burgeoning category of 2D indie darlings.
It isn’t particularly charming or beguiling. It has no plot to speak of, nor are there any characters whatsoever beyond the bland avatar you control. There are no emotional resonances or no implied [...]
Posted by Chris Evans in 100-Word Reviews, Handheld, Mobile, Reviews on 24. Aug, 2010 | No Comments
The App Store is awash with clones of the ever popular Doodle Jump, but The Incident at least brings some fresh ideas to the table. The structure you climb is formed of objects that fall from the sky, be they cars, pianos, arcade cabinets, comedy weights or who knows what else. The graphics are pleasingly [...]
Posted by Barry Guihen in 100-Word Reviews, Console, PC, PS3, Reviews, Xbox 360 on 22. Aug, 2010 | 1 Comment
The logic is sound: offer a full Call of Duty style multiplayer game, with a plethora of weapon choices and numerous game modes, at a fraction of the cost of a boxed retail title. However, Blacklight fails to learn any lessons from last year’s excellent Battlefield 1943 and its ‘less is more’ approach. Menus are [...]
Posted by Bret Allen in 100-Word Reviews, Console, PS3, Reviews, Xbox 360 on 21. Aug, 2010 | No Comments
Raven Software somehow put a cold war thriller into a blender with Bioshock and Wolfenstein when making Singularity. Nevertheless, they made a game that is somehow more than the sum of its parts. A strong setting supports this action game with a time manipulation twist. The time gadget, powered by a mysterious element called Plotdeviceium, [...]
Posted by Barry Guihen in 100-Word Reviews, PC, Reviews on 20. Aug, 2010 | No Comments
A good example of a simple idea that excels in execution, Spelunky is, at its heart, a roguelike platformer. The game’s charm, spearheaded by a red nosed Indiana Jones-alike, belies a crippling difficulty level with most unlikely to make it past the opening stages. Power-ups and weapons, alongside differing map conditions including maps where the [...]
Posted by Gerard Comerford in 100-Word Reviews, PC, Reviews on 20. Aug, 2010 | No Comments
For Flash game designers, the primary design problem is that the player is more likely to stop playing a game the less the player has invested to play. The du jour solution is to design multiple endings to encourage the player to play the game multiple times. Majesty of Colors: you’re a tentacle creature from [...]
Developer to assist charity for Facebook likes, profile pictures: http://wp.me/pbdY5-XD 'Like' Lost in Shadow on Facebook, Hudson will donate 10 cents to Child's Play Charity. http://t.co/fUJgXWS An Austrian political candidate is using an anti-mosque game to garner support for an upcoming election: http://tinyurl.com/34fkmz4
Just as the PlayStation Move review embargo expires, Mark offers his thoughts on the flagship launch title. http://cli.gs/0WzJn PlayStation Move launch title review: Start The Party! is no replacement for Ritalin. http://cli.gs/67apD
